Courtney Love Wants to Become a British Citizen

Courtney Love is set to become a British citizen, revealing that she will be able to officially gain U.K. citizenship in six months.

The former Hole frontwoman, who has lived in London since 2019, made the announcement during a conversation with Todd Almond at London’s Geographical Society on March 4, where she also performed Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone.”

“I’m really glad I’m here. It’s so great to live here. I’m finally getting my British citizenship in six months. I get to be a citizen. I’m applying, man! Can’t get rid of me,” she told the audience, according to the Daily Mail.

While she did not explicitly link her move to the political climate in the U.S., Love did not hold back in her criticism of the country’s current state, saying, “In terms of Trump, and particularly this group… it’s like emperor-core—like, [they’re] wearing million-dollar watches… Emperor-core is going on at Mar-a-Lago. It’s frightening now. It’s like cyanide now.”

Love, 60, has previously spoken about her love for London and the lifestyle it offers. “Laws. No guns. Four seasons. Discourse. You stan a middle-aged woman far better. Discretion,” she told Soho Home in 2022 when asked why she preferred life in the U.K. In a 2024 interview with the London Evening Standard, she reiterated her admiration for the city, saying, “I’m left alone, there are laws here that protect me when I’m being outspoken, I like the friends I’ve made here.”

Love joins a growing list of celebrities who have opted to leave the United States for new homes abroad. Rosie O’Donnell recently revealed that she relocated to Ireland earlier this year, citing concerns about political changes and equality issues in the U.S. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi also moved to the English countryside in 2024, reportedly purchasing a home after selling their California estate for $96 million.

While Love’s transition to British citizenship is in progress, her music legacy remains deeply rooted in both the U.K. and U.S. scenes.

As the frontwoman of Hole, Love helped shape the alternative rock movement of the ‘90s. The band’s breakthrough album, Live Through This, peaked at No. 52 on the Billboard 200, while their follow-up, Celebrity Skin peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200, and garnered the band its first and only number 1 single, “Celebrity Skin”, which topped the Modern Rock Tracks.